Who’s ready for the second book in the Zaria Fierce Trilogy? I am!!! Tonight I completed the second draft of Zaria Fierce and the Enchanted Drakeland Sword. Here are the new totals: Second Draft: 42,936 words Total writing time in draft: 3 days 21 hours 52 minutes The next draft I will focus on all the […]

I was doodling while on the phone and this is what came out. It’s theoretically Zaria, although it didn’t start there. I started with practicing drawing braids, which I’ve never really done before successfully. My favorite part is her boots. I just love the cutaway on the one, which shows off her socks.

I was playing around the other day doodling Olaf’s face and I liked it so much I thought I would finish the piece. He’s supposed to look mean and scary but I’m told he’s much too wise looking. I think it’s the hands. He’s supposed to be reaching out for Zaria in a menacing way, […]

Welcome everyone! Join me over at Meredith’s blog, All ‘Bout Them Books and Stuff for part two in an interview series with Eoghan Kerrigan, the illustrator for Zaria Fierce! Learn Eoghan’s favorite characters and see some of his favorite drawings. Meredith also reviewed Zaria Fierce and had this to say: Overall, this was a fantastic […]

The Confidence to be a Writer

Hi, thank you Love Romance Passion for having me. I’m B.D Hawkey, author of Old Sins Long Shadows, which is an historical romance with grit.

However, I would consider myself a reader of romance first and a rather fussy reader too as I have a list of pet peeves of things I dislike. I have always enjoyed writing, I have always had a dream to write a book, but perhaps not the confidence. One day I decided to start writing the sort of book I would like to read (minus my pet peeves, of course).

Old Sins, Long Shadows was published in August, 2013, however it wasn’t until five months later, and after some lovely feedback from complete strangers who had taken the time to write their reviews, did I have the confidence to tell my friends and extended family what I had done. So it just goes to show, although I knew what I would like to read in an historical romance, I was not so confident in what others would think. Thankfully it has all turned out well and I hope that my second book will be out towards the end of this year.

I think our worst critics are ourselves and my only regret is that I did not do it sooner. A dream can be big or small, and there will most probably be a lot of hurdles to get over first, but if you are not in the race, you will never get off the starting block. As John Wayne once said, “Courage is being scared to death…and saddling up anyway.” That’s exactly what I did on the day when I opened my laptop and started to write my debut novel. I may not have had a saddle in my hands, but I could smell its leather – and it was wonderful.

So what is your dream and what is the first step you need to take to make it happen?

A Cornish Victorian romance set against the backdrop of the magnificent Bosvenna Estate, with eccentric rural characters and the sweeping hills of the dramatic Bodmin Moor. Janey Carhart’s story is a tale of obsession, jealousy and love. At the age of nine, Janey’s younger sisters die from scarlet fever and her grief stricken mother blames Janey for their deaths. Financial difficulties and a desire to win back her mother’s love, forces Janey to enter service where she quickly rises through the ranks.

Upon her arrival to the elegant Cornish Country Estate, she successfully secures a position of a lady’s maid for the wealthy and powerful Brockenshaw family. An exchange of letters between Lady Brockenshaw and her son ignites Janey’s interest, but Janey’s feelings for this mysterious and charming gentleman soon change her life forever.

Old sins cast long shadows and not only does Janey’s mother’s wrath affect Janey’s life, there are others whose sins risk destroying her, the people she cares about and her capacity to love again. Daniel Kellow, her neighbour, offers his help. A man who has, it is rumoured, killed a man. Who is the real Daniel Kellow and can she trust him? Can he trust her?